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Councilman David Marks' Accomplishments and Initiatives

Initiatives and Accomplishments 

Since taking office, County Councilman David Marks has worked across party lines to reform county government, preserve open space, and strengthen our schools and neighborhoods.

Reforming Government

Councilman Marks has championed reforms that make government more efficient, accountable, and bipartisan. David Marks:

· Sponsored legislation that expands a property tax credit for energy-efficient homes.

· Supported the toughest ethics package in Baltimore County history, banning sports tickets and other perks for politicians.

· Sponsored the legislation—approved by voters in the 2016 general election—that creates a Charter Review Commission to automatically look at the efficiency of government.

· Passed legislation that requires input meetings for new housing developments to be close to the neighborhoods they will impact.

· Reformed the Planned Unit Development process by requiring agency review and a Community Input Meeting before a County Councilmember initiates a PUD resolution.

· Cosponsored legislation that requires on-line posting of proposed regulations.

· Cosponsored “Oscar’s Law” to reduce animal abuse, supported reforms to the county’s animal control division, and sponsored the amendment that more than doubled the fine for animal cruelty.

· Passed legislation creating the Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee.

· Appointed qualified men and women of all political backgrounds to county boards and commissions.

Preserving Open Space

For more than two decades, County Councilman David Marks has fought to preserve open space in our communities. As Councilman, David Marks:

· Created “Neighborhood Commons” zoning, which has protected about 4,000 acres of land from development throughout Baltimore County.

· Downzoned a historic amount of acreage throughout the Fifth District to protect our communities from overdevelopment—thousands of acres stretching from Charles Street to the Harford County line.

· Helped advance eleven new parks in the Fifth District—five in Perry Hall, four in Towson, one in White Marsh, and the first new park along the Loch Raven Boulevard in a half-century.

· Helped create two greenways in Perry Hall—the Indian Rock and Seven Oaks Environmental Conservation Areas—that include 54 acres of protected land.

· Added 11 acres of wooded property to Honeygo Park.

Strengthening our Schools and Neighborhoods

Councilman David Marks has been a visible elected official, working with community and business leaders to improve communities throughout the Fifth District. David Marks:

· Championed the construction of additions at Stoneleigh and Hampton Elementary Schools to reduce school overcrowding, and successfully advocated for funding to renovate Dumbarton Middle School.

· Secured funding to build two new elementary schools and a middle school in northeastern Baltimore County.

· Obtained funding to air condition every public school that serves the Fifth District.

· Championed the redevelopment of derelict properties from Towson to Perry Hall, including areas along York Road, the Raytheon site on East Joppa Road, and Regester Square on Belair Road.

· Successfully advocated to restore full-service status to the Loch Raven public library.

· Championed the Towson Circulator, a free transit service that will improve mobility throughout Downtown Towson.

· Supported lighting, traffic calming, road resurfacing, and sidewalk projects throughout the Fifth District.

· Secured funding to build the Northeast Trail and build a network of bike lanes throughout Towson.

Revised March 24, 2021

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